Jan 31, 2023 08:30AM
Climate change has spurred researchers and companies to develop fuels with zero carbon emissions.
Dispersed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic oceans, the hawksbill sea turtle helps maintain high coral cover on reefs by removing invasive prey.
The World Economic Forum estimates that about 400 million tons of plastic waste are produced globally each year and that 98 percent of single-use plastic products are made from fossil fuels.
The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced the achievement of fusion ignition at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL).
In a groundbreaking decision, world governments have awarded increased protections to 54 species of sharks at the 19th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The United Nations designated 2021 to 2030 the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean.
Dec 30, 2022 08:30AM
Scientists are amplifying the natural sounds of the sea via underwater speakers to induce baby oysters to swim toward desirable locations for regrowing oyster reefs.
A study suggests that while mechanical devices like Seabin do remove plastics and other items of marine litter, the quantities can be comparatively low and they may trap marine organisms.
Liquid helium, a nonrenewable element found deep underground, is needed to operate the magnets in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, and supplies are becoming harder to find.
Agrivoltaics, the emerging practice of integrating solar installations with working farmland, can reduce emissions, save water and possibly even boost crop yields.
A $1 billion effort to electrify school buses will provide renewable fuel vehicles for around 400 school districts, including Indigenous tribal lands, Puerto Rico and American Samoa.
When an earthquake occurs, it sends seismic P waves through the ground that a Google app called MyShake can detect with a network of 1,300 U.S. Geological Survey sensors.
Nov 30, 2022 08:30AM
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts that average global wind speeds could drop by up to 10 percent by 2100.
Atmospheric carbon dioxide pumped into a mature forest at levels predicted to be the norm by 2050 will cause trees to produce more and longer roots, thus absorbing and storing more carbon.
The demand for power to charge electric vehicles (EVs) could burden the electric grid in western states at peak times by up to 25 percent if most charging is done at night.
A legally autonomous black gum tree named Terra0 on the campus of the Community College of Allegheny County owns itself and perhaps even the few square feet of land it grows on.
With the passage of a recent law, California will be the fifth state, along with Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Vermont, to allow human composting, beginning in 2027.
One pound of sulfur hexafluoride, an electrical insulator, heats the planet as much as 25,200 pounds of carbon dioxide and remains in the atmosphere for 3,200 years.
Oct 31, 2022 08:30AM
Google has taken a key driver of global warming out of the carbon calculator embedded in the company’s Google Flights search tool, making journeys appear less impactful on the environment.
20 states have passed bills to exempt chemical recycling facilities from waste management requirements, despite evidence that most facilities actually incinerate the plastic they receive.
Scientists have produced good-quality concrete in which all of the aggregate has been replaced with tire particles.
A new study shows that urban gardens and hydroponics can thrive and may exceed the yields of rural farms.
Facing threats from invasive pests, climate change and habitat loss, up to 135 tree species—about one-sixth of those found in the continental U.S.—could be lost forever.
Applied on top of existing asphalt pavement, cool pavement road treatment reflects heat, which is especially needed in heat island areas.
Sep 30, 2022 08:30AM
With almost 20 percent of sequoias destroyed by wildfire in the last two years, the U.S. Forest Service is speeding efforts to protect the giant ancient trees.
The World Weather Network is an international coalition of 28 arts organizations that believe artists and writers should be a larger part of the dialogue surrounding climate change.
Scientists have created a membrane using sunflower and peanut oilseed meal that shows potential as a cheap, sustainable and scalable method to decontaminate heavy metals from water.
The latest update to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species includes the migratory monarch butterfly.
Large mammals are important ecosystem engineers, shaping natural processes and sequestering carbon, and scientists are planning to reintroduce these animals to the wild.
Aug 31, 2022 08:30AM
The 2022 theme of the United Nations-sanctioned International Day of Peace, or World Peace Day, is “End racism. Build peace.”
Seattle City Light is installing electric vehicle chargers on utility poles as part of a transition to zero-emission electric transportation options.
Researchers studied the design of restaurant menus and how adding carbon labels indicating the greenhouse gas emissions per dish affected the choices people might make when dining out.
A rooftop solar array and solar panels on the sides will adorn an eight-story high-rise planned for West Melbourne, Australia, to provide the office building with most of its power.
Atlantic hurricanes pose risks to renewable energy wind turbines, and researchers are developing more resilient models inspired by palm trees.
The Western bumble bee, once easily spotted in California, could not be found in a recent survey led by the University of California-Riverside.
When pathogens in buried poop from campers and hikers leach into the soil, they can spread into waterways or become integrated into an ecosystem.
Jul 29, 2022 08:30AM
A recent report finds that environmental certification programs claiming to verify the sustainability of fashion brands facilitate “greenwashing” for the apparel industry.
Rural outmigration is leaving cropland abandoned, affording an opportunity for ecological restoration and carbon sequestration that could lead to a positive impact on the climate crisis.
Jul 29, 2022 08:30AM ● By Rachael Oppy
The Mata Atlantica is fighting for its life against overdevelopment, where deforestation surged 66 percent last year.
The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues called on governments, courts and UN agencies to implement mechanisms to support and protect Indigenous peoples’ lands and lives.
Cigarette butts are the most common source of plastic pollution in the global environment, surpassing bottles, plastic bags and food wrappers.
To better track the location and movement of marine fish in U.S. waters, The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries is using a new interactive website.
Jun 30, 2022 08:30AM
Researchers examined medical databases and ethnic medical books to discover which diabetes medicines were effective in ancient indigenous medical systems.
Research has found that significant knowledge gaps make it hard to predict the scale of the potential effect of mining the ocean floor.
North America hosts about 3 billion fewer birds today than in 1970. The causes include light pollution, climate change, vanishing habitat and pesticides.
A new survey shows that children differ dramatically from adults in their moral views on animals, suggesting that speciesism is learned as we become socialized.
On April 1, Tokyu Railways trains running through Shibuya and other stations were switched to power generated only by renewable sources.
Researchers have discovered that hemp plants can successfully suck per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), "forever chemicals," out of contaminated soil via phytoremediation.
Researchers have discovered that air pollutants can confuse pollinators that use odors to navigate and move around and communicate.
May 31, 2022 08:30AM
The National Park Service (NPS) has cracked down on some recreational activities to better manage the human impact on natural environments.
To both conserve water and generate clean energy, solar arrays are being installed over canals in the Turlock Irrigation District to evaluate their impact on water quality and evaporation.
Researchers looking at all the studies of the effects of fences have found that their profound impacts on wildlife and ecosystems are often ignored or greatly underestimated.
Nonprofit Free the Ocean is circulating a petition to Get Single-Use Plastic Out of U.S. National Parks.
It turns out that the presence of weeds benefits trees and pollinators.
About a third of the bird species nesting in Chicago are laying their eggs a month earlier than they did 100 years ago, and researchers think the culprit in this shift is climate change.
Antarctica registered record temperatures for March of 40.82° F at a time of the year when readings are usually already sub-zero.
Apr 29, 2022 08:30AM
A megadrought is a dry spell that lasts for more than 20 years, and the Southwestern U.S. endured the worst occurrence since at least 800 A.D. in the period from 2000 to 2021.
Pahrump, Nevada residents are upset that San Francisco-based Candela Renewables wants to build a large-scale solar field across approximately 2,300 acres.
A new study has determined that pharmaceutical drugs polluting the world’s rivers pose “a global threat to environmental and human health.”
A recent report found that methane leak emissions from the oil, gas and coal industries are 70 percent higher than official government estimates globally.
A study indicates that streptomycin, an antibiotic sprayed on orchard crops to combat bacterial diseases, slows the cognition of bumblebees and reduces their foraging efficiency.
The use of huge, specialized kites at an altitude of up to a half-mile, where wind currents are the strongest, are helping to harness wind energy.
Mar 31, 2022 08:30AM
Poll finds that 82 percent of registered U.S. voters responding would like the National Park Service to stop selling and distributing single-use plastic items.
Simon Fraser University is engaging with Indigenous organizations, universities and other partners to highlight the problems of biodiversity loss and its implications for health and well-being.
Michelin’s new airless tires don’t puncture, so they should last longer, which means fewer tires will need to be produced, thus limiting waste.
The Central Park Climate Lab is a new initiative and climate partnership to study the impacts of climate change on urban parks.
Researchers at the University of British Columbia found that increased farm sizes resulted in a 15 percent decline in bird diversity.
Researchers have found that glaciers in the Himalayan Mountains are melting at an exceptional rate compared to other glaciers around the world.
Feb 28, 2022 08:30AM
The labeling rule for food products altered at the genetic level was finalized and implemented on January 1 to uphold the integrity of labeling claims and increase marketplace transparency.
Most of the world’s organized religious sects contain a doctrine or reference to preserving the environment.
In the coastal nation of the Netherlands, houseboats able to cope with rising seas or rain-induced floods are being constructed.
More than 300 melting glaciers between British Columbia and Alaska have the potential to create 3,800 miles of new salmon habitat by 2100.
The salt used on roads to combat snow and ice in the winter is wreaking havoc on the environment and our drinking water.
A study has discovered that microbes in oceans and soils worldwide are evolving to eat plastic.
Jan 31, 2022 08:30AM
A study suggests that our natural environment is becoming quieter and less varied due to changes in the makeup of bird populations.
The source of almond milk, although positioned as an eco-friendly alternative to cow’s milk, may not be as sustainable as touted due the large amount of water needed and pesticides used.
A study has discovered that free-roaming cats are likely infecting other animals with Toxoplasma gondii, the parasite responsible for toxoplasmosis.
A plant has successfully converted sunlight and ambient air into drop-in carbon-neutral fuels, crucial for making air and sea transport sustainable.
Placing solar panels in large parking lots makes use of land that is already cleared, producing electricity close to where it’s needed and providing shade to cars.
Dec 30, 2021 08:30AM
As a genetic response to intense poaching for ivory, the amount of elephants born without tusks rose from less than one-fifth to nearly 50 percent.
A new report has found that emissions from the plastic industry may be greater than those from coal-fired power plants by 2029.
Researchers and experts are warning that illegal global wildlife trade impacts species, ecosystems and society in unsustainable ways.
The amount of vapor in the atmosphere is increasing, absorbing a greater amount of the infrared energy radiated off the planet’s surface than other greenhouse gases, thus trapping more heat.
A study shows that honeybee colonies respond to infestation from harmful mites by varying space and interaction in the hive to increase social distance between the younger and older insects.
Climate change is affecting coffee’s taste, aroma, nutritional quality, yield and sustainability, impacting farmers’ livelihoods and consumer experiences.
Nov 30, 2021 08:30AM
A UK tech company claims their drone can plant two trees per second using artificial intelligence for guidance, with a goal of planting 500 billion trees by 2060.
A new technique for measuring the presence of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in indoor air has found them in kindergarten classrooms, offices, laboratories and homes.
A report finds a significant decrease in the cost of renewable energy sources compared to 2020, with solar leading the pack by a wide margin.
Research indicates that advanced wind energy strategies could reduce atmospheric average temperatures of about 32 to 33 degrees Fahrenheit by 2199.
Half of the world's coral reefs have been lost since the 1950s, with 14 percent diminishing between 2009 and 2018 alone, due to climate change, overfishing and pollution.
The Indigenous Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have reached a historic $1.9 billion water rights settlement, resolving thousands of tribal claims to waterways in Montana.
Oct 29, 2021 08:30AM
A Swedish method of building using cross-laminated timber (CLT) is emerging as a climate-friendly alternative to traditional, concrete-based construction.
Better recycling solutions are being introduced the remove the burden from the consumer and recyclers while making the process easier.
A study finds that about 1,300 invasive plants are sold at garden centers, nurseries and other retailers.
The water table in the Middle East is becoming depleted due to persistent drought, high temperatures, poor water management and overuse, and climate change.
The United Nations predicts that the rapidly growing industry of eating insects (entomophagy) could be worth $6.3 billion by 2030, so bug-based products may soon appear in local stores.
Chlorpyrifos, a pesticide linked to neurological damage in children, including reduced IQ, loss of working memory and attention deficit disorders, can no longer be used on food.
Sep 30, 2021 08:30AM
Land is being transferred to or co-managed by Indigenous tribes, repatriating culturally and ecologically important resources with the former occupants and local communities.
A more sustainable approach for recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic used in single-use beverage bottles, clothing and food packaging, has been found.
Production costs for solar energy dropped by 90 percent between 2009 and 2020, with experts estimating a rise in solar power plants around the world.
